A Fiend in Need
by Paul P.S. Sullivan
Summary: Mozenrath loses his powers due to some unlikely circumstances and Aladdin and company face a pest that they unknowingly released. No strange pairings, no angst, just some old school Aladdin fun.
1. A Rude Awakening

A Fiend in Need

Part 1: A Rude Awakening

"Faster, Carpet!" Aladdin yelled, looking over his shoulder as a massive mamluk lumbered towards the hero and his companions in the canyon. Well, it wasn't so much as a single body as it was an amalgamation of several mamluks. Abu shrieked and clung to Iago tightly as the mamluk golem swatted at them like one would a housefly.

"I wanted to stay with the Sultan," Iago cried, "but noooooo, they say 'Iago, we need help', 'Iago, we need to stop Mozenrath from using the Jewel of Khan Struck', 'Iago, we need you to act as bait for Mam-zilla here'!-"

Just then Abu pulled his fez over the complaining parrot. Iago continued to protest, muffled. Aladdin shook his head.

"We need to get the jewel away from Mozenrath," he said, when he pulled at Carpet's tassels. Suddenly, Carpet took a sharp turn up, narrowly avoiding the giant golem's hand. "Genie!"

Suddenly, in a puff of smoke, Genie appeared. The jinni of the Lamp's face was covered with shaving cream and in both hands a foaming electric toothbrush and a razor. Aladdin looked at him curiously before recovering. Genie took a look at them and then at the giant lumbering golem, his pupils shrinking and his mouth drooped with fright. He then pulled out a small rectangular box and press on it. It rang as he held up to his elfin ear.

"Hey, Eden," he spoke into the box, "I'm gonna be late for an itsy-bitsy bit. Uh-huh. Kisses!" He pressed a button and the little box disappeared in a puff of smoke. Genie then turned to Aladdin. "Talk to me, Al."

"Genie," Aladdin repeated, "we need a distraction."

Morphing into a military uniform, Genie saluted. "Can do, Sergeant!" The jinni then did a back flip and, opening a parachute, floated in front of the golem. As the sounds of battle cries echoed in the canyon, Aladdin and his companions dived down along the walls. As Aladdin leapt off of Carpet, he turned back to his companions.

"Abu," he reached his hand out to the monkey. Apprehensively, Abu looked at Iago before scampering on to Aladdin's arm and up to his shoulder. Aladdin then turned to Iago and Carpet. "You two, stay out of sight."

"You don't have to tell me twice," Iago exclaimed. "What do you think I've been trying to do since we got here?"

Aladdin held a finger to his lips, signaling the international sign of silence as he climbed down with Abu on his back. As Iago watched, he crossed his wings.

"Of course, if they just left me behind, I wouldn't have to hide." Suddenly, a hand comprised of mamluk parts came down and swiped at Iago and Carpet, prompting Iago to shriek and Carpet to fly off.

_Sssssssss)0(ssssssssS_

"Meddlers," Mozenrath grumbled to himself, watching from along the canyon floor in the shade. "So much for a quiet morning." He turned to leave when Aladdin suddenly dropped down in front of him.

"Mind if I drop in?" Aladdin asked cheekily as Mozenrath scowled contemptuously, rearing back his glowing right hand. A blue fireball shot out of his hand and made a beeline towards Aladdin. The street rat leapt as it exploded at his feet.

"What, Aladdin," Mozenrath drawled as another fireball shot from his palm, "couldn't find a nice third world nation to save, so you decided to bug me?"

"I was in the area," Aladdin replied, dodging the fireball. He managed to get close enough to strike the sorcerer in the jaw. Mozenrath snarled as he wiped the trail of saliva and blood from his chin. More fireballs came flying and Aladdin avoided them, left and right. Suddenly, after the last one, Mozenrath's leg swung around and struck Aladdin in the side, knocking him down. Aladdin rubbed gingerly his side as he saw Mozenrath smirked gloatingly as that was so prevalent amongst villains.

"End of the line, street rat," he reared his hand when his face contorted into an exaggerated shocked expression. Suddenly, the sorcerer began to grab at his clothes, a small bump skittering and chattering beneath those layers. "No," he growled when he suddenly began to laugh giddily, "ah-heh-hahahahahahah-n-no, ah-eh, stop, no!"

However, his protest went unheeded as the small bump shot straight up towards his collar and was soon staring at Abu, who poked his head out. The stunned stare became a snarl as he ripped the monkey from his clothes and threw him. However, something red glimmered in Abu's hand that made Mozenrath's eyes widen.

"Gimme the jewel!"

Abu shrieked as Mozenrath leapt towards him, but the sorcerer was thwarted by Aladdin who tackled him to the ground. The two young men struggled, one hand reaching towards the monkey and another grabbing its wrist. Suddenly, a small fireball, emitted from the sorcerer's finger, came screeching and smacked right into Abu's hindquarters. The monkey let out a pained screech, the jewel flying out of his hands...

And right into the canyon wall, shattering into some hundreds of tiny shards. As the pieces fell into the sand, a tiny wisp of smoke rose from the remains.

"Abu!" Aladdin got up and picked up the monkey who was fanning his singed bits of fur. "You okay, buddy?"

"Spare me the sentimentality!" Mozenrath howled. "Do you have any idea what I had to GO THROUGH FOR THAT ROCK THAT HE BROKE?" He pointed his finger at Abu, who ducked behind Aladdin's neck. "TWO WEEKS OF DECODING AND GETTING PAST THAT OVER-SIZED LIZARD THAT WAS GUARDING IT!"

As Mozenrath began his usual rants whenever he was foiled, Aladdin noticed that the earth was rumbling and looked up. A black shadow hovered above the trio. The street rat's eyes widened with alarm.

"Hey, Moze-" Aladdin began, pointing up.

"-AND THAT WAS THE EASY PART!" Mozenrath continued, so swept up in his tantrum that he completely ignored Aladdin and Abu. "I HAD TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO FINE TUNE IT AND DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW LONG THAT TOOK? THREE WEEKS! THREE WEEKS THAT I'M NEVER GOING TO GET BACK!"

Aladdin backed away and soon mamluks began raining down upon the canyon. Aladdin whistled and Carpet, its tassels being gripped strongly by Iago, came flying down and scooped up Aladdin.

"AND THEN YOU HAD TO SHOW UP AND MEDDLE AND-" Mozenrath turned to face Aladdin, but, looking up, his black pupils suddenly grew smaller, now barely dots on the whites of his eyes. Aladdin and his crew shot out of the canyon when a huge wave of mamluk parts came crashing down.

Once in the air, Aladdin looked around. "Genie?"

A stream of sky blue shot out from the canyon and materialized upon Carpet.

"Present!" Genie gave a salute. Aladdin smiled. Genie looked down and winced. "Ew, looks like the cattle call for a George Romero movie."

"Can we please go home?" Iago whined. He let out a scream as Carpet shot off, Genie quickly picking up speed and following besides his companions. Meanwhile, down in the canyon, Mozenrath was sputtering angrily for obvious reasons as he trudged through mamluk parts.

"Great, great, great," he grumbled as he assessed the damage, meaning the masses of undead servants strewn across the canyon floor. "That does it," he said after a long pause. He then made a swiping motion in the air and Xerxes in the background of the Citadel appeared on a "screen", suspensed in the air. "Xerxes, the mission was a bust. I'm going home."

Xerxes hissed an affirmation and the "screen" disappeared. The gauntlet glowed and in a swirl of dark blue and violent pink flames, the sorcerer disappeared. The quiet in the canyon was interrupted by a wheezing chuckle coming from a figure standing in the shadows.

"I'm (wheeze) freeeeeee."

_Sssssssss)0(ssssssssS_

"So, Jasmine isn't back yet," Genie said as Aladdin walked down the steps into the menagerie.

"Yeah," Aladdin looked up at the jinni who was now adjusting his pink bow tie on a gleaming white tuxedo with a pink carnation in his lapel. "She's still shopping with Sadira. Jas told me that she needed a dress for the wedding."

"Oh, that witch definitely needs it," Iago interjected as he landed on Aladdin's shoulder. "That kid's a walking crime against fashion, but, personally, I won't feel safe, until she learns to cook."

"Yeah, especially _parrot al'orange_," Genie added, cheekily.

"That was so funny I forgot to laugh," Iago frowned. He looked over at Abu who was gingerly sitting down on one of the cushions but kept rubbing his bottom tenderly. "What's with Abu?"

"Mozenrath got him in the, uh- well, he got him while we were fighting over the jewel," Aladdin answered, picking up Abu. Abu curled up in Aladdin's arms and sighed contentedly.

"How are you, Iago?" Iago mocked. "Oh, I'm just fine, apart from the emotional scars that I've gotten over the years because they keep playing hero AND dragging me along!"

"Iago," Aladdin replied, touching Iago's beak, "I remembered you wanting to go."

"Well, you said you were going after a jewel," Iago retorted. "Where's the jewel, Al?"

"Well, it broke."

"So, it became another of those missions where you get us into MORTAL PERIL FOR NO REASON!" Iago screeched. "And return absolutely nothing to show for it, but a scorched monkey butt!"

Suddenly, with a wave of Genie's finger, a tiny white straightjacket was wrapped around Iago and a muzzle was fitted around his beak.

"You just need a little time out, _meshuga_," Genie lifted the protesting parrot from Aladdin's shoulder and set him down on the ground. "But now, I got a date with the prettiest genie in Para-moor!"

He tipped his white top hat and vanished. Aladdin smiled and then looked at Abu.

"Come on, we'll go grab some falafel later," he said to Abu, who chattered excited. He walked back into the palace, the muffled protests of Iago heard to those still outside.

_Sssssssss)0(ssssssssS_

"Pull!"

The sounds of mamluks hurtling into the air and suddenly exploding echoed in the Land of the Black Sand. It was clearly obvious that Mozenrath was thoroughly furious, the glee he expressed when his fireballs collided with the corpses was missing and a perpetual scowl had been imprinted on his face since he'd returned to the Citadel.

"He had to butt in. What is his problem?" he asked. Not an answer coming from his undead slaves, he continued. "Well, of course, he has to butt in. His whole existence is to be a thorn in my side. I mean, it's not like _I_ spend every waking moment figuring out how to make his life a living-"

A thud upon the sand interrupted his thoughts and he turned to face its cause. The smell of burning minions invaded his nostrils, prompting him to grab his nose.

"Ah, yoad didmid," he said, not letting go of his nose, "ad, fod the lob ob Allob, pud yoadselbs aud." He waved his free hand dismissively and the mamluks began rolling on the sand, extinguishing the flames. Suddenly, an earsplitting howl echoed against his eardrums, prompting him to press his hands against his ears.

"What now?" he shouted through the noise as he ran back to the Citadel.

However, as he entered, Mozenrath found that the noise was as, if not more, deafening inside as it was outside. His bewilderment only grew when he saw a small figure sitting on his throne, fiddling with an abacus. Upon closer look, the creature was dressed in Egyptian attire, but what caught his eye were its vulture beak and the pair of wings upon his back. Automatically, the sorcerer's lips formed the word "imp".

"Yes, yes," the imp spoke. "You're wasting my time and when you're wasting my time, I'm wasting money."

"What?" Mozenrath replied, his hands still over his ear. The imp fluttered up to him.

"YOU'RE WASTING MY TIME AND MONEY!" it proceeded to yell.

"WHAT?"

The imp sputtered with aggravation and, pulling out a small square device, pressed a button and the howling ceased. Mozenrath, looking around, slowly removed his hands.

"Now," the imp continued, "we have to discuss the manner of this debt you owe."

Mozenrath glared at the imp, incredulously. "What debt?"

"The debt that you have accumulated over the course of seven years, Mister Destane," the imp added, pulling out a ledger.

"Mister Destane? Listen," Mozenrath interrupted, "I am not Destane."

"Well, are you not the ruler and proprietor of Citadel One, The Land of the Black Sand?" the imp looked at the sorcerer questioningly.

"Well, yes," Mozenrath replied apprehensively, "but-"

"Then the debt is your problem." The imp ripped a sheet of paper of his ledger and handed it to Mozenrath. The sorcerer scanned the paper carefully, but the paper began to crinkle as his hands quivered. The imp looked over his shoulder.

"If you have questions of payment," he said, "I take cash up front, no checks or credit."

"I owe you seven hundred dinari?" Mozenrath screamed. "What, in Allah's name, did he-er, I do?"

"Overdue library book," the imp simply replied.

Mozenrath stared at him disbelievingly. "Overdue library book?"

"Yes," the imp looked at his ledger, "and since you have been given many warnings, you will be given the full extent of punishment for failure to comply. Hold out your hand."

"What do you mean 'punishment for failure to comply'?" Mozenrath demanded. "I did not see a single warning! I don't even know what the book is!"

"Please hold out your hand," the imp insisted as he pulled out a small blood-colored crystal, "if you want it the easy way."

"Easy way? What do you mean-" Before he could finish his sentence, the imp shoved the crystal into Mozenrath's gut and electrical bolts jumped at the sorcerer. Mozenrath screamed as a current rushed through his body. He limped down to his knees, strength leaving him. The imp suddenly jerked the crystal away, it now taking on a pulsing glow.

"And you didn't want to do it the easy way," the imp taunted.

Mozenrath snarled and thrusted his right hand up. However, his face fell for he felt no energy in that arm, none of that spark of magic that coursed through his body. He knew this feeling once and he dreaded the day he would go through it again.

"Your powers are now the property of the Interdismensional Cosmic Library," the imp said, with great relish. "That is, until the debt is paid and lifted. But remember that if the book is not returned along with the payment, your powers will permanently be that of the Library."

"Well, what was the book that Destane lost?" Mozenrath demanded as he slowly rose. The imp smirked with glee.

"Said book will begin to emit that noise that you heard earlier and it will not stop until you find it. Starting now."

As the imp disappeared, soon enough the howling pierced Mozenrath's ear.


	2. Interesting Developments

_Author's Note: Well, thank you, all who reviewed. Your patience has been rewarded._

_Bestia: I did not mean to insult to your love of slash. I am more or less covering any if not all unconventional pairings, especially the ones I had previously implied in my stories._

A Fiend in Need

Part 2: Interesting Developments

The bazaar was particularly busy today. The streets were more crowded than average, particularly concentrated in front of a fairly new and gaudily painted building in the corner. Upon watching, people filed in and, soon after, filed out with skin bags bulging and exuding mouth-watering, but lukewarm fragrances of spiced meat and pita bread. Outside, small children swarmed around its mascot, a saggy camel with large comical eyes and patches strategically sewn all over its body, like bees to an exotic flower.

"Agrabah has a Falafel Hut franchise!" Iago exclaimed, freed from the straightjacket and muzzle. "About time this one camel town got blessed by Gammy al Camel." As he said this, Gammy, or rather the unfortunate employee inside the costume, was fighting off seven little kids that had climbed upon him whilst crying out in agony.

"Why would you be excited about that?" Aladdin asked. Abu chattered inquisitively, suggesting that he was asking the same thing.

"It is my chance to get in on the franchise," Iago rubbed his wings, greedily, "A chance to get in on the _money_." He pulled out a flyer and handed it to Aladdin.

"'Falafel Hut careers'?" Aladdin asked as he read off the flyer. "'Become an owner/operator for your region's franchise'? 'Equal opportunity employment'?"

"Exactly!" Iago cried. "I will be rich beyond my wildest dreams, helming one of the most affluent franchises in the food service industry!"

"Oh, brother," Abu squeaked, rolling his eyes. Iago exchanged a glare.

"Well, I'm through with this visionless non-profit organization," Iago squawked as he flew off Aladdin's shoulder and into the crowd in front of Falafel Hut. "I'm off to get my fortune. Hey, move it or lose it, chrome dome!"

Standing, Aladdin and Abu looked at each other, somewhat bewildered.

"I...saw some dates over there by that cart," Aladdin recovered first, pointing to his left. Abu chattered excitedly as they made their way down that street. Suddenly, a squat little man jumped out in front of them. "Um, hi?"

The squat man executed an elaborate bow, his long gray-peppered beard touching the ground. "I am the Great Pestor," he wheezed, "and I have come to wreak havoc on-"

However, before he could finish, a great crowd of people swept him away as they ran past Aladdin and Abu. Abu squeaked, waving his small hand in front of Aladdin's eyes.

"That was kinda strange," Aladdin turned to Abu. "He reminded me of somebody, but-" Aladdin paused but waved his hand dismissively. "Probably not that important."

Abu shrugged and began to chatter excitedly again.

"All right, let's get some dates."

_Sssssssssss)0(ssssssssssS_

Books were scattered upon the floor of the Citadel library, the howling still going full-blast, and Mozenrath was muttering angrily as he violently threw the books off their shelves.

"Since when did Destane ever borrowed books?" he grumbled, as he quickly looked through a book front to back and threw it over his shoulder. "He has enough in here to fill up three libraries! What could have he possibly needed that he didn't have already-"

He paused, noticing that it had become quiet. His ears didn't feel like they were bleeding anymore. He looked back to the last book he checked, lying on the pile of books. He picked up a text with a worn green leather binding. He opened to the title page and a look of shock appeared on his face.

"'A Thousand and One Arabian Nut Recipes!'" A vein popped on his forehead. "I'm seven hundred dinari in the hole because of a cookbook!" He threw the tome upon the table, angrily, and buried his face into his hands. However, the book's cover flew open, a tiny sheet of paper slid out. Mozenrath looked up and, approaching the other side of the table, picked up the sheet of paper.

"'-pick up laundry, prune the man-eating fichus, return book, kill apprentice and make it look like an accident (perhaps have him prune fichus), light supper at five,'" Mozenrath slammed the paper down. "I knew it." However, he picked it up again and looked at it carefully. Something in his mind connected. This was Destane's to-do list, but more importantly...

Mozenrath slapped his forehead, upon this realization. "Great, you could have picked any other day, but you just couldn't wait to usurp his throne." He crinkled the list in his hand.

"No, no, dwelling on the past doesn't help you move on," he sat down, calming down. "Let's just review what we have here. You have no powers and you have to collect seven hundred dinari, otherwise said powers are gone for good. You been through this before with Khartoum-" He shuddered slightly, "-and you got your powers back then, even though-" He looked at his gauntlet and then sighed, dejectedly. "That means I'll have to pay the...fine."

He shifted in his seat, tapping his fingers on the table. "Can't stage a robbery," he began listing off on his fingers. "It takes time without magic. Can't ask the other sorcerers, let's face it, they want to kill me and...I don't have the means to protect myself."

He began to rub his temples. "If I could just-"

Mozenrath stopped mid-sentence and, as if having an epiphany, shot straight up to his feet and ran out of the library.

_Sssssssssss)0(ssssssssssS_

Aladdin leaned against a barrel, Abu sitting on his shoulder and stuffing dates into his mouth. He fidgeted, moving his foot up and down the barrel's side. Genie was out on his date, Iago was off doing his own thing as was Jasmine and Sadira, and, as far as he knew, there was no sign of Mozenrath or any of his other recurring foes. It was one of those rare days that he actually didn't have to run off from whatever he was doing to keep Agrabah from impending doom. It was actually peaceful for a change.

Scratch that. It was boring.

"I'm almost expecting Chaos to show up," Aladdin joked, Abu let out frightened screech.

"I said almost! Chill out." Aladdin chuckled. "Maybe you should cut down on the dates." The monkey shot a glare at him, but playfully swatted his friend's hand away as Aladdin reached up and scratched Abu upon the head. Chattering, Abu switched to his other shoulder.

"Though usually it's this kind of day that welcomes it," Aladdin added as he got up and began to walk around the corner. "Like something's gonna jump out and yell-"

"HELLO!" Abu shrieked and scrambled into Aladdin's vest as the familiar squat man jump out in front of them. Aladdin, slightly startled himself, stared at the man who had his arms up in a dramatic manner.

"Um, who are you?" Aladdin asked. The man looked at him and bowed.

"I am the Great Pestor," he started with a wheeze, but paused, looking around frantically. Looking relieved, he continued, "I am the Great Pestor and I have come to wreak havoc upon ye lives!"

Aladdin stared at Abu who, peering from underneath Aladdin's vest, exchanged one back. Looking back at Pestor, he asked simply, "Why?"

Pestor opened his mouth but he paused, scratching his head for a moment. "Well, the thing is," he began, "um, which one of you broke the Jewel of Khan Struck? Well, no matter, I've been freed from my imprisonment and, as protocol; I'm supposed to make life for whoever set me free unbearable. For it has been told to me by my mentor-" he turned to Aladdin, but to his dismay, the boy and the monkey had gone around the corner. He huffed and quickly waddled around the corner.

"Do you think Abis Mal had any other relatives?" Aladdin asked Abu as they walked through the crowd. The monkey gave a shrug, when he suddenly turned his head, hearing Pestor yell out "Hey!"

Sighing annoyed, Aladdin turned to face him, but was nearly knocked down as Pestor and his girth skidded to a halt in front of him.

"That was very rude," Pestor wheezed, "to run off while I was talking! You didn't even get to hear the part about my mentor."

"Listen," Aladdin said, trying to act as patient as possible, "it's not that your life story isn't interesting, it's that-well-"

"Yes?" Pestor listened on.

"You are...kind of annoying."

Pestor stared at him, very much in the manner of a small child, before giggling. Aladdin was taken back by the giggling, though the man very much resembled the Sultan, who himself giggled quite often, to some degree.

"That's what they all say to me," Pestor replied, when a dark smile appeared on his face "and then I show them." Before Aladdin could speak, Pestor pulled a lurid pink egg, about the size of a chicken's, from his pocket and hurled it at Aladdin. The street rat took a jump back when it landed at his feet and it cracked open. Instead the usual white and yoke, a strange dark violet liquid seeped, no, not seeped, crawled out the cracks and made its way towards Aladdin and Abu.

Aladdin took a cautious step back, Abu ducked back underneath the young man's vest with a frightened squeak. They did not like where this was going.

_Sssssssssss)0(ssssssssssS_

_Squish, squish..._

Panting and soaking wet, Mozenrath dragged himself up the steps to the front door of a cracked adobe building on the corner of an obscenely calm street.

"Next time, be more specific," he muttered to himself, grasping a small lavender colored stone. He did not like using enchanted stones for transportation. For one thing, in his experience, they were unpredictable and it took thirty minutes for them to recharge their power after each use, so they weren't very reliable for a quick getaway in his opinion. However, since patience wasn't the sorcerer's strong suit and it would have took two to three days to get to Para-moor after his quarry, he threw aside his prejudices and used them. He arrived in Para-moor in less than three seconds, but spent the next ten minutes climbing out of a well.

Glancing down at the glowing in his chest, Mozenrath pulled out another stone, this on pulsing with an iridescent pale green. For this one, he spent twenty minutes, following the blinking hunches of this jewel all over the city, notably into a dog pound and into a busy street. He held it to the door, it immediately pulsed more quickly. He smiled; the scrying crystal for once actually worked. He slid the crystal back down his collar, raised his fist to the door and knocked.

Proceeded by the sounds of frantic footsteps running up and down stairs, the door finally opened by a crack and a pair of round brown eyes peered out. Mozenrath looked curiously at Dondi as she opened the door a little bit more.

"A little kid?" Mozenrath thought, still staring at her. "Eden's master has a child?"

"Um," Dondi asked, awkwardly, "did you know you're glowing?"

Mozenrath's eyes quickly turned down at his chest, a dull green pulsing rapidly like a heartbeat right through his soggy shirt.

"Excuse me for a moment," he squeaked, grabbing his chest and turning his back towards Dondi. He angrily fumbled with the glowing crystal as he stuffed it into the belt pouch. "I don't believe this," he grumbled quietly. "Do the Fates just _enjoy_ screwing with me?" He looked over his shoulder, noticing the child still there and with a very uneasy look on her face. He took a deep breath and, approaching her again, put on a genial smile.

"I am very sorry," he oozed, "but, I really needed to take care of something just then." He stuck out his hand. "Anyway, how are you this morning?" Dondi stared at it for a moment before looking up at him.

"Are you my babysitter?" she asked.

Mozenrath paused for a moment. "Well, why...yes."

"You don't really look a babysitter," Dondi replied.

"Really?" He crossed his arms. "Why would you think that?"

"It's just that Maryim, she's my regular sitter," Dondi explained, "didn't need a towel when she comes by."

The sorcerer bit his lip. _She's not buying my bluffs, _he thought frantically._ Gotta speed up the search._

"Well, that's because somebody threw bathwater on me," he explained, quickly. Dondi merely looked at him like he had fire ants crawling over his face. "Say, why don't you hold this for a while for me?" Mozenrath placed the lavender colored stone in the girl's hand as he went inside. He looked around the sparsely decorated room, save for plump cushions and pillows strewn around a small fire pit in the center and colorful curtains hanging in certain parts of the room to section it. "Are you by yourself?"

"No," Dondi replied, casually as she held up the stone into the light, "my mom is getting ready to go on a date. It's just her boyfriend is running late. I think they're going to Atlantis or something."

"Yeah, fascinating," Mozenrath replied unconvincingly as he pulled a curtain aside and peeked in. He found nothing but what looked like bags of chick peas and assorted canisters of other foodstuffs. He frowned as he pulled the curtain shut. Dondi stepped lightly over the puddles of water the young man left on the floor as Mozenrath proceeded to the next curtain.

"Um, why are you looking in the closet?" Dondi inquired when the man gave a yelp as boxes and balls cascaded out of the closet. Watching the man getting buried in the assorted knick knacks for a minute or two, the girl finally jumped onto the pile and began throwing off the boxes until she stared into his face. "Are you okay?" she asked, sincerely.

Mozenrath merely scowled as he sat up (the stuffed camel that bounced off his head just then didn't help his temper). Dondi stumbled backwards, upon seeing him.

"Is there anything you need?" she asked, crawling off the pile. "'Cause it's no trouble-" Suddenly, Mozenrath grabbed her wrist.

"Well, there was one thing I needed," he explained, his good humor that he shown about to run out, "but, seeing that I can't find it, you'll have to do."

Dondi's eyes widened in fright as she tried to pull away from the young man's vise-like grip. Just then he grabbed her other hand, the one with the stone firmly in her grip.

"The Citadel, Land of the Black Sand," Mozenrath said into her hand and in a swirl of smoke, they vanished.

_Sssssssssss)0(ssssssssssS_

Aladdin stood on a barrel, avoiding the slime that seemed to be barking at him in the fashion of dog that had chased a squirrel up a tree. Abu was chattering angrily at the slime, but when the slime began to stretch up towards Aladdin, the monkey shrieked and dived back into Aladdin's vest.

_I can't believe it_, Aladdin thought leaping from barrel to barrel. _I'm scared of a stupid piece of pond scum. No wonder Pester is getting a kick out of it._

Indeed the rotund man was guffawing on his back, rolling back and forth like an egg. Glancing at both Pestor and the slime, Aladdin smirked and suddenly leaped towards Pestor, like a squirrel to a tree. Pestor's laughter became a frightened shriek as Aladdin and Abu jumped on and off the man's massive belly like trampoline and somersaulted overhead, landing behind him. The young man then darted off, back into the crowd.

"Wha-oh, hey!" Pestor replied, getting very flustered as he struggled to get to his feet. "You're not very nice!" Before the man could add on to his complaints, he felt something cold and moving up his body. Staring frightened at the slime now on his chin, he let out a scream.

Aladdin panted, out of breath from running.

"Where did he get that stuff, Abu?" he asked the monkey. "It's like that stuff Mozenrath trapped me with a while back. It took a week to get it completely off-" Aladdin stopped as Abu cocked his head, puzzled. "Oh, I forgot," Aladdin added. "You weren't there."

Abu suddenly made a frightened squeak, prompting Aladdin to jerk his head around. Pestor, grabbing his chest, was slumping towards Aladdin, panting. Suddenly, he threw his head back and, with a monstrous snort, blew a wad of dark violet gunk out of his left nostril. The gooey projectile hurled through the air and landed smack dab in the middle of Aladdin's face. Aladdin recoiled violently as the slime oozed down his nose and into his left nostril. The young man shuddered, feeling it crawl up into his skull. Abu chattered, anxiously as his friend fell to his knee, grabbing his shoulders.

"_Why am I so cold?_" he asked himself. Pestor waddled up to him and, looking at Aladdin for a moment, kicked him in the chest.

"That's what happens when you run off," the portly man leered as Aladdin groaned. Abu screeched angrily, beating his fists on the ground. Pestor sniffed. "I'm not scared of you." The man picked up the struggling Abu by the scuff and stuck his tongue out.

Suddenly, there was a puff of smoke and, turning around, Pestor was face to face with Genie in a grey sweat suit and a wide leather belt.

"Hey, round girlie man," Genie bellowed in an exaggerated Austrian accent, "drop zee monkey."

However, before Pestor could oblige, Genie picked him up by his graying beard and began to shake him. As the man's girth began to wobble, Abu slid out of his grip and dizzily scampered to Aladdin's side.

"Oh, Aladdin," he chattered worriedly, shaking his friend's shoulder.

Meanwhile, as the portly man became green in face, Genie stopped shaking him. Pestor groaned as Genie looked at him.

"_Das schwein es sehr_ roly-poly, _ja_?" Genie asked. "You need to burn off zee calories. Oh, Pelé!"

Confused by what he meant, Pestor watched as Genie morphed into a skinny young man in a yellow t-shirt and green shorts. Suddenly, the man found himself rolled into a ball and, in one swift motion, dropped and kicked. Genie, now in "normal form", watched as Pestor was hurled through the air, his screaming echoing above Agrabah's rooftops.

"Aaaaaaand it's point to Team Aladdin," he announced broadly. "And the crowd goes wild!" Indeed, the cheers of a massive crowd resonated in the alley and stopped abruptly as Genie made a sharp motion with his hand. "Sorry, it took so long, Al," he turned to Aladdin, "but Eden had to split, something about her Dondi-senses tingling, and-"

Before he could finish his explanation, he took a long, speechless stare at his friend. Even Abu backed away slowly from the young man, wringing his tail. Aladdin looked up, growing confused at his companions' behavior.

"Wha?" Aladdin asked. "What is it, guys?"

"Al, you're blue."

"Wha? What do you mean?" Genie held out a round, shimmering mirror to his former master's face.

"Whoa!" Aladdin jumped back in alarm as the reflection that stared back was indeed blue, the shade of overripe juniper berries.

_Sssssssssss)0(ssssssssssS_

Eden stood in the throne room, vigilantly scanning it. She wasn't particularly in a good mood, her fists clenched. Of course, when your date gets interrupted by news of your mistress/adopted daughter's kidnapping, delivered by an eel no less, you would hardly be in the best of moods either. Suddenly, her pointed ears perked. There was the sound of tiny little feet running quickly.

"Baby?" Eden asked.

"Eden!" Eden jerked her head around and saw Dondi running from behind a column. The jinni's face brightened as she knelt down and caught the girl in her widespread arms. The child wrapped her arms around Eden's waist, sighing with relief. "Oh, I was so scared!"

"Well, I was too," Eden replied, scratching the child's head, "Especially, considering what-"

"EDEN!" The jinni quickly looked up and saw...Dondi running towards her?

"Oh," the Dondi imposter grinned maliciously at Eden, "these are for you."

From her coat pockets, the child pulled out silver manacles, but suddenly, she found herself knocked to floor by the real Dondi. The pair wrestled on the ground, one screamed as the other pulled her hair. Suddenly, there was a metallic _click_.

Dondi (the one sitting on top of the other) stared stunned at the manacles, now gripped on her wrists. Eden's expression mirrored her master's as the other Dondi pushed her double off her roughly.

"You stupid little kid!" she screamed. "Why did you have to go and ruin it?" Suddenly, the Dondi imposter was lifted by the collar of her shirt.

"Looks like you need a time out," Eden growled at the Dondi double and suddenly dropped kicked her, sending the imposter slamming face first into a column. As she slid down, a small clear jewel fell out.

"This is like, what, _two_ dates you've ruined for me so far?" Eden asked Mozenrath as he morphed out of his disguise, groaning. She then turned to Dondi who was reaching up to her, her expression softening. "Come on, _bubeleh_. We're getting out of here-"

However, when the jinni reached down to pick up the child, an electrical charge emitting from the manacles crackled, shocking her. Eden recoiled, vigorously rubbing her hand. Dondi looked up at her jinni fearfully.

"Eden?" she whimpered. Eden bit her lip uneasily when she heard Mozenrath's voice behind her.

"My," the sorcerer declared, "isn't this an interesting development?"


	3. Suggestions

A Fiend in Need

Part 3: Suggestions

"Al," Genie called from across the hovel, "it's not gonna get any better if you keep picking at it."

It was obvious that Genie's advice went unheard as Aladdin prodded his rich juniper blue cheek in front of a mirror. Jasmine had given him a full-length mirror in her ongoing attempt to make the hovel more welcoming, along with a set of red curtains that had a gaping hole due to Iago ripping right through them in panic. This would be the recorded as the first and only time that Aladdin used that mirror, as well as the longest time. Carpet peeked over Aladdin's shoulder, inquisitively when the boy brushed him away.

"Look at me, Genie," Aladdin said, turning to his companion. "I'm...blue."

"So am I," Genie replied cheerfully. "We could start a club. I already got the t-shirts made up!" Genie unfurled a light blue shirt with white letters reading "Code: Blue". "It was the name of a band I started, but then the lead singer quitted and did that talent show..." Genie trailed off when he noticed the dour expression on Aladdin. "Sorry, Al. That probably didn't make you feel any better."

Aladdin sighed before looking at the mirror once more. He suddenly slammed his fists on the wall. "Pestor did this to me," he growled, "and I am gonna find him and make him change me back!"

"Well, that's gonna be kinda hard," Genie replied sheepishly. "I kicked him pretty far. Who knows where he ended up?"

As Carpet hovered over the boy's shoulder, Aladdin jerked his head around. Genie and Carpet recoiled with great exaggeration. Aladdin merely chuckled as he got closer to his companions.

"Well, maybe you can find a cure," the boy suggested. "You know, use some of that semi-phenomenal, nearly cosmic power?"

With that Genie smiled and, in a swirl, the hovel changed into a sterile white room, inhabited by large boxes with flashing buttons and that emitted chirps and mechanical whistles. Aladdin was poofed onto a bench, covered in white paper. Genie reappeared, in a glaring white lab coat and a thick pair of goggles.

"Now, Al," Genie said, waving his hand and making a ledger appear in his hands, "we are going to conduct a series of tests, with hopes of finding the cause and thus concocting a possible solution to your 'colorization'." He thumbed through the ledger as Carpet pried Aladdin's mouth open with his tassels and held a light to his jaws. "Now, first question: did he give you any gum?"

Baffled by this question, Aladdin reluctantly mumbled, "No."

"Okay," Genie slammed the ledger shut, "so you're not turning into a piece of fruit. That's good, because I just rented out my juicing equipment for the weekend. Mr. Dahl likes his fresh-squeezed-"

"Genie!" Aladdin interrupted.

"Okay, okay," Genie shook his hands. He then tapped his chin, thoughtfully. "Hmm, maybe we should use the machine."

Aladdin suddenly had an uneasy feeling in his gut. "What's the machine?"

Aladdin got his reply when Carpet stuck a suction cup to Aladdin's forehead. The boy looked at it, a thin wire curling into a large, intimidating looking box with red flashing buttons and long levers. Genie hovered towards it, pushing the buttons and moving the levers up and down. The machine began to crackle and hum. Aladdin gripped the edges of the bench, bracing himself as the hum got louder and the crackling became more intense.

Then there was a tiny _ding!_

"Danishes are done!" Genie announced cheerfully, pulling a lever down and a plate of steaming pastries popped out. Putting on an oven mitt, Genie grabbed the plate and set it down on a bench. The jinni then summoned a carton and three tall glasses and poured milk into the glasses. Carpet prodded the pastries cautiously with its tassel. Genie handed one to Aladdin, who was very confused by all of this. "Careful, they're still hot."

"Uh, Genie," Aladdin asked, "was there a point to this?"

Genie looked up, mouth covered with crumbs and cream cheese. "Oh, there's a point, I promise." Genie wiped the crumbs away with his sleeve. "This machine-" He pointed to it. "-not only makes delicious pastries, it monitors your brain waves." He flicked the suction cup on Aladdin's forehead. "If your brain senses something wrong, it will send it to the machine through the little cup."

Suddenly, there was a sharp _ding!_

"Oh, must be the print out." Genie flew back to the machine and in front a roll of paper was slowly coming out, accompanied by loud humming buzz. The jinni ripped it off and scanned it. As he read, a worried look appeared on his face.

"What is it, Genie?" Aladdin asked, growing concerned.

"There's definitely something in your head, Al," Genie said finally after a dramatically long pause, "and...I don't know what it is."

"What? But what about-" Aladdin's face fell. He looked at his skin and frowned. Carpet "looked" at him, concerned and lowered itself next to him, nuzzling against him.

"But that didn't stop us in the past," Genie added. "I'll find out everything there is on that Pestor even if it kills you."

There was a pause.

"Not in the literal sense, of course."

Before Aladdin could answer, the white room disappeared and was replaced by a dimly lit, musty smelling library. Aladdin was seated on a large squishy cushion, Carpet in a rather stately armchair. Suddenly, there was a slam on the nearby table. Aladdin looked up and Genie, peeking behind a tall tower of leather bound books, was dressed in robes and a mortarboard was perched atop his head.

"Let the rrrrrresearch begin!" Genie trilled as his pulled off the top book and, slumping into an armchair, began to flip through it.

_Ssssssssssssssss)0(sssssssssssssssS_

With an amused expression on his face, Mozenrath began circling Eden and Dondi. Xerxes, finally showing up, snapped ever so often at the young girl, who pulled closer to her jinni.

"My, my," he mused as he completed his circle, "interesting, isn't it?" Eden stood defensively in front of her young mistress. "I never really knew what would happen if anti-magic manacles ended up on a non-magical being. Oh, well, you learn new things every day."

"What do you want?" Eden demanded.

"Oh, a little song, a little dance," Mozenrath said, nonchalantly, "Aladdin's head on a lance." Dondi mouthed an "ewww". "But what I _need_ is you to do what I command."

Eden glowered with revulsion. "What makes you think I'll do that?"

With a devious smirk, the sorcerer reached behind Eden and grabbed Dondi by the wrist, the girl letting out a yelp. Eden growled, reaching for her mistress, but recoiled as she was shocked once more. Then Eden looked at Mozenrath and crossed her arms, shrewdly.

"Oh, I see," the jinni said, realization setting in. "You still haven't gotten your powers back, so you're gonna wrangle me into your rodeo, cowboy."

"This wasn't because of Khartoum," Mozenrath sighed. "This was due to a completely unrelated circumstance. Now, my demands are simple-"

"Okay, how did you lose your powers this time?" Eden asked, interrupting.

"It's not your concern," the sorcerer answered quickly. "Now if you please."

"But if you got your powers back without using me," Eden elaborated, "then why can't you just do the same thing this time?"

"I just can't, all right!" Mozenrath yelled, his grip on her wrist made Dondi squirm. "Look, do what I say or I feed little Dumbo to Xerxes."

Eden stared at him, aghast. Dondi tried to slink away, but, grabbing the collar of her coat, Mozenrath jerked her closer to his side. Xerxes made a slurping sound, followed by a cackle.

"You can't feed her to that thing!" Eden yelled. "And her name is Dondi!"

"You're right," Mozenrath said lightly, inspecting Dondi. Eden and Dondi looked at him with "seriously?" expressions on their faces. "She'll have to take a bath first. I don't want Xerxes getting food poisoning."

The jinni's and her master's jaws both dropped.

"But, if you play nice, I'll take the manacles off of..._Dondi _and the both of you get to go home happy."

"Wait a minute, you _gozlin_," Eden pointed out. "You tried this _shmuts_ last time. The moment I agree to do what you want, you double-cross me and suck me dry! How will I know that you won't pull that a stunt like that this time?"

"Would you like to bet _her_ life on it?" Mozenrath asked, sharply tapping on Dondi's head. The girl swatted his fist away with her free hand. Suddenly, after a momentary pause, Mozenrath's mouth twitched. "Did you just call me a gosling?"

"Actually, I think she called you a thief," Dondi explained. Mozenrath shot an icy glare at the child. She shrunk back slightly. "It's 'Genie-ish'."

"Ever been a hostage, kid?" the sorcerer asked her, still glaring at her.

"Well, there was this one time where these two men put me in a cage-"

"Then you should know that hostages are required to be quiet!" Xerxes let out a raspberry at the girl.

"Hey!" Eden yelled. "Don't talk to her that way!" Mozenrath turned his focus back on the jinni, frowning. "There's still that manner of our deal."

The corners of the sorcerer's mouth formed a smirk.

"So, we have a deal?" Mozenrath asked, his tone now pleasant. "Or does my familiar get to eat the brat?"

"Yeah," Eden sulked, pursing her lips.

"Excellent," Mozenrath said, throwing Dondi back to Eden, who braced herself as the manacles on Dondi's wrists shocked her. "See what happens when you cooperate?"

The jinni only glowered resentfully before turning to Dondi. "You okay, baby?"

Dondi nodded quickly, glancing back at Xerxes who was hovering close behind her, grinning.

"Beat it, tube sock!" Eden bellowed, her mouth revealing jagged fangs. The eel gulped frightened and scurried back to the safety of his master's shoulder. "So," Eden turned back to Mozenrath, "What is it that requires my 'assistance'?"

"I need you to assist me in a heist."

_Ssssssssssssssss)0(sssssssssssssssS_

It had only been a good hour of flipping through dusty tomes, yet the research marathon seemed to drag on far longer for the three companions. Genie, now on his two hundredth book, now sported five band-aids on one hand. Carpet, slumping to one side, turned the page of its book slowly. Aladdin drummed his fingers on his leg impatiently as he read the contents of its page. He stared intensely at the grotesque picture of a man suffering from a rare disease, his skin covered in big round blue blisters. He shuddered, slamming the book shut, when he heard Genie cry excitedly.

"I found our little bugger!" Genie exclaimed, holding a page to Aladdin's face.

Aladdin scanned it. "It looks like a journal."

"Yes, because it IS a journal," Genie confirmed, "The journal of Khan Struck!"

"Wait, we broke his jewel only this morning!" Aladdin pointed. Carpet nodded in affirmation.

"Yes," Genie exclaimed, "but there's more to his legacy than that jewel and more importantly, a connection to Pestor!"

Aladdin's expression brightened. "Well, what does it say about him?"

"Well, apparently, Khan didn't like him that much as judged by this little cartoon of him stabbing him repeatedly and the words 'Die! Die!' surrounding him." Genie flipped a couple pages forward and, holding up the book, pointed to the crudely drawn cartoon. "From what I've read, Pestor was Khan's assistant in his contracting firm, construction I believe, but, as I said before, Khan hated him and-"

"Well, what happened between them and why is he here?" Aladdin asked. "Is there anything about slime?"

"Whoa, easy, Al," Genie warned. "Don't burst all at once. Well, there are references to eggs that leak strange colored slime. Ugh, there's a picture of one of them crawling up into somebody's nose. Doesn't look pretty." Aladdin reached up and snatched the book from Genie's hands. He made a face, looking at the picture of a man, his body contorting horrifically as slime climbed up into his nostril.

"Does it mention anything about a cure?" Aladdin asked. When he saw Genie shaking his head, his heart sank.

Suddenly, there was a frightened screech as Abu comes running into the library.

"Whoa, Abu!" Aladdin exclaimed as the monkey leapt onto his head and started the boy's fez nervously. Aladdin reached up and snatched his squirming friend. "Whoa, calm down, calm down," he said soothingly, stroking Abu's head. Apparently, it had an effect as Abu immediately loosened up like a rag doll with a sigh. "Okay, buddy, what did you see?"

Aladdin set Abu down on the table, where the monkey began to chatter rapidly. Genie, meanwhile, pulled out a dictionary, aptly titled "The Human to Monkey Edition", and began flipping through it.

"Hey, slow down and enunciate!" Genie said to Abu, who glared at him and resumed chattering, though now at a slower pace. "Okay, 'ook-squeakity-squeakity-squawk-ook'." He turned to Aladdin. "It seems Cheetah here says that he found Pestor over in the bazaar again and something about a purple donkey dishwasher."

"What are we waiting for!" Aladdin exclaimed. "Let's go!" The boy ran towards the door when he is stopped by Genie's hand, the arm attached to it stretched very long.

"Whoa, there," Genie remarked, retracting his arm, "Might I suggest doing something about the...blueness?"

Aladdin took a moment to look at himself. He had almost forgotten he was blue.

"Any chance of covering it up?" he queried Genie.

"Let's see," Genie mused, looking at Aladdin. "I'm thinking long sleeves, pants and boots. Maybe some tasteful gloves." Suddenly, the jinni smiled and, gripping the corner of Aladdin's vest, he ripped off his former master's clothes in one swift motion.

For those who think that Aladdin was standing there in the buff, get your minds out of the gutter. Aladdin was now dress in a grey long-sleeved shirt with a green vest over it and a pair of grey comfortable pants. On his feet was a pair of black boots and on his hands there were black gloves. However, Aladdin was unable to see this as he was struggling to pull off the white bandages wrapped around his head.

"Genie," he mumbled, aggravated.

"Okay," Genie chuckled awkwardly as he pulled the bandages quickly, sending Aladdin into a wild spin. "So the Claude Rains look isn't for you."

Carpet caught the boy, who now appeared...turquoise and ready to vomit.

"I guess we'll have to call on Mary Kay."

Suddenly, Aladdin was plopped down on a chair as Genie, now appearing as an ample-breasted blonde woman in a white smock, hovered above him, armed with a make-up sponge and a cake of foundation.

"Now, darling," he said, "if it stings, that means the beauty is burning through."

Before Aladdin answer, Genie began to work, a cloud of flesh color dust appearing inside the library. As the dust settled, Genie handed Aladdin a mirror. Aladdin looked into the mirror, his familiar face staring back at him. With astonishment, he prodded his cheek. However, the slight euphoria he felt briefly disappeared as he glanced at the flesh colored spot on the fingertip of his glove and the spot of juniper blue standing out on his cheek.

"You need to be careful, Al," Genie remarked, dabbing that blue spot with his sponge. "And bring an umbrella. You'll never know when those unexpected rainstorms come popping up, though chances are it's just Iago and Thundra having a lover's quarrel."

"Thanks, Genie," Aladdin said, as he jumped to his feet. "Come on, guys. Let's go!"

_Ssssssssssssssss)0(sssssssssssssssS_

"So, let's review what you want me to do," Eden said. "You want me to break into-"

"Infiltrate," Mozenrath corrected her.

"Oh, I'm sorry," the jinni rolled her eyes, "_infiltrate_ the Royal treasury, take seven hundred dinari, and just give it to you?"

"Precisely," the sorcerer replied. "Even she can understand that." He added, pointing to Dondi who was sitting cross legged on the floor, propping her head up with her knee and looking very listless. "I don't get why you can't."

"Because, frankly, I just think it's an insult to both our intelligence."

Mozenrath glared at Eden for a moment. "I didn't ask you to be obstinate," he said, icily.

"And Dondi didn't ask to come here," Eden replied. "Look at her. She clearly bored out of her skull." Dondi winced as Xerxes nipped at her ear, trying in vain to push the eel away.

"I did not ask about the conditions of my hostage!" the sorcerer exclaimed, angrily. "I merely want to know why you are defying me!"

"For moral obligations," the jinni replied, simply.

"Moral obligations?" he sputtered, incredulously.

"We have a young and impressionable child here." Eden pointed to Dondi, now slapping Xerxes' cheek. The eel blew a raspberry as he swam out of the room. "If I commit theft, what example would I be setting for her, especially since I keep telling her that stealing is wrong?"

"Setting an example?" Mozenrath slapped his forehead in frustration. "Look, will you just cool it with the overprotective soccer mom attitude?"

"And another thing," Eden approached the sorcerer, accusingly, "that plan lacks any of your imagination. I mean, break into the treasury for gold. It's like saying that you're strapped for cash."

A momentary pause occurred between them.

"You borrowed a book from the Interdimensional Cosmic Library and didn't return it on time, didn't you?" Eden inquired, though it was more of a statement.

Mozenrath doesn't answer, but walked away from Eden, his arms crossed, like a spoiled child would after being scold.

"Figures he would. Hey Mozie!" Eden hollered after him. Immediately, he stopped.

"Do not call me that," he seethed, that tone of arrogance present in his speech. "Refer to me as 'My Lord'."

"I'll call you whatever I please," Eden retorted. "Listen, better sorcerers than you had to scrounge to pay their library fines to avoid bankruptcy, heck one of my last masters had to sell my bottle to pay for a half of what he owed those crooks. So just get over yourself."

Mozenrath shout a venomous glare at Eden, his lip twitching.

"Um, sir," Dondi spoke up. Mozenrath glanced down at the child. "Um, my Lord, you run this place, right? Like the Sultan?"

Mozenrath's eyebrow rose, inquisitively.

"If you need the money, why don't you just temporarily raise taxes to pay your debt?"

The sorcerer sighed annoyed and knelt down, now at Dondi's level. "Kid, have you seen what's outside?"

"No, you had me tied to a chair in the hallway. You need to learn to tie knots better."

"Well, if you haven't noticed, apart from myself and my mamluks, there aren't any people and no people means no money from taxes."

"I'm beginning to see why you're bent on world conquest," Eden remarked. "Nobody wants to live in this dump, let alone pay to live in it."

"Well," Dondi added, "maybe if he tried making it better for people, maybe they would-"

"And ruin the reputation I've spent years developing for myself?" Mozenrath scoffed as he stood upright. "I found it's more effective and, in long run, safe to be feared than to be loved."

"You've been reading Machiavelli's diary, haven't you?" Eden remarked, sharply.

"Well, had I know that I was going be lectured about financial and political affairs by a jinni and her pet rat," Mozenrath growled, "I would have just used the Crystal of Ix."

That moment, Eden turned pale. Mozenrath smiled, cruelly.

"Yes, that's it. That'll cure your impertinence. _IXTA_-" However, before he could utter the last syllable, Eden flicked her finger and the sorcerer's lips were sealed with a zipper, a device that didn't appear until approximately four hundred years later.

"Don't go around saying things you don't mean, you shmuck," Eden said. "You forget I have more power in a toenail than you have in your entire existence."

Muffled, Mozenrath managed to scream, his face turning maroon.

"What's that?" Eden asked, mockingly. "Yes, you are a shmuck."

Glancing back at Dondi who looked at her bewildered, Eden sighed and unzipped the sorcerer's mouth.

"How dare you speak to me like that!" Mozenrath bellowed. "_You_ forget that you agreed to this! In fact, I was the one who decided to be polite and merely asked rather than just sucking you into the Crystal of Ix the moment you set foot on here!"

"Well, I'm doing you a service of making sure that you're not going to do something stupid," Eden retorted, "that will just further complicate things and get you in trouble."

"Oh, and you and your boyfriend would just hate to see that happen," Mozenrath hissed, "wouldn't you?"

"Only because I'm not leaving until _you_ take those things off of Dondi." Eden pointed at the manacles.

"Well, tough luck, 'cause the only way that's going to happen is if I get money and how will I get it without magic?"

"Why can't you just get a job?" Dondi asked all of the sudden. There was a long and awkward pause as the sorcerer glared at the child, dumbfounded.

"Let me rephrase what I just said," Mozenrath replied, recovering. "The only way that's going to happen is if I get money TODAY. Not tomorrow, not two weeks from now."

"Yeah, but did they specific a deadline?" Dondi asked. "I mean, it's not as risky as just stealing the money and you pretty much got nothing to lose except a few hours."

"But who would hire me?" Mozenrath asked, doubtfully.

"Anybody who is willing to have a pasty megalomaniac on their payroll," Eden interjected (Mozenrath just shot a venomous glare at her), "and that's pretty much everybody."

"Yeah," Dondi replied, "you're smart, um, pretty-" Mozenrath looked at her, oddly. "-uh, handsome and well-dressed."

Mozenrath placed a finger on his chin, thoughtfully. It was a well-known fact that most villains liked having their egos stoked, but, while he was hardly an exception (heck, it wasn't everyday that he was complimented), the sorcerer knew the old adage too well.

"You honestly think that?" Mozenrath asked, suspiciously as he approached her.

"Yep," Dondi replied, "especially about the part of being smart and handsome." Dondi looked at Eden who was now behind Mozenrath. Eden gave a quick thumbs up. "But if you don't feel confident enough," Dondi added, nonchalantly, "it's completely understandable. Eden said to me time and time again that it's hard to find a job, even if you have brains."

"She's right," Eden added. "I bet you can't get a job, even with your book learning and experience in management." The sorcerer mulled what the girl and Eden said over. He glanced back at the djinni and her mistress. He couldn't get the feeling that he was falling into a trap out of his head. However, he then approached the child and looked down at her, his arms crossed, defensively.

"I know this is just some half-baked plan that you two are concocting to get the better of me," Mozenrath said to Dondi, skeptically, "but seeing that I have very few options and that you were more constructive than your jinni, I'll play your game. It's not like _you're_ going anywhere, kid."

Dondi nodded, Mozenrath smirking as he headed towards the hallway. He stopped at the archway and whispered to Xerxes.

"And what do you plan for us to do while you're out, exactly?" Eden inquired.

"The library's a mess," Mozenrath replied, cockily. "I want you to clean it up. Meanwhile, I have to go job searching." However, before he could take another step, Eden poofed in front of him.

"Oh, allow me," Eden said, a devious smile present on her face. Before Mozenrath could protest, a swirl of green smoke surrounds him and he vanished. Dondi ran to her jinni, but kept a reasonable distance from her.

"Where did you send him?" Dondi asked, curious.

"Oh, he'll know when he gets there," Eden replied, cheekily.

"You don't like him very much, do you?"

"You have no idea, baby."

_Ssssssssssssssss)0(sssssssssssssssS_

The chattering business of the Agrabah Office of Employment and Training was temporarily put to a halt as a young man in dark blue crashed through the roof of its waiting room. As the dust cleared, business resumed as if nothing happened. Mozenrath groaned and cough as he shakily rose to his feet.

"I thought I'd learned my lesson in subcontracting," he grumbled to himself as he brushed the red dust off his tabard. "Why? Why didn't I?"

"Hey, lady!" A gruff voice barked. Mozenrath turned towards the rather large and burly man behind him and scowled. "I don't care that you made a big entrance. Take a number and wait your turn like the rest of us!"

Any other day, Mozenrath would just rear back his right hand and hit that man, hurling him to next Thursday, and take his spot in line. However, common sense and the fact that he was currently just another scrawny pale weird kid up against a giant that could easily break him like a chicken bone won over and he shuffled over to the desk up front. He swiped a small red ticket from a roll and glanced at it.

"47" was on his ticket.

They were currently serving "9".

Mozenrath frowned when he felt a nudging against his shoulder. He turned and was staring face to face with a camel. Despite his shock, he noticed that the beast had a clipboard, attached to it was parchment, in its mouth. His brain insinuating that the camel wanted him to fill out some paperwork, he slowly slid the clipboard from the beast's lips, a string of drool dangling off it. He found a seat in between a rather hirsute fellow (his attire was evidently Odiferous) and a shivering man wearing nothing but a white turban and a white diaper. Ignoring them, Mozenrath took a glance at the parchment on the clipboard.

"What was your grandmother's middle name?" was one of the questions printed upon it. Thus he began his dive into the muddled swamp that was the Agrabanian bureaucracy.


	4. Abject Humiliation

A Fiend in Need

Part Four: Abject Humiliation

Dondi and Eden had stared at the library for a good minute. The books have been scattered across the floor, victims of the sorcerer's wrath.

"I still think we should just try to find a way out of this dump," Eden said as Dondi made a beeline to the lone table in the room. "Or at least a way to get those things off you."

"Maybe there's something in these books," Dondi replied, climbing up the chair next to the table. She reached across the table and pulled the green book towards her. Looking at the cover, she could read it was a cookbook and began flipping through the pages. "Hey, there's a recipe for tobouli in here!"

"You think so?" Eden asked as she waved her finger and the books on the floor began to levitate and flew back into the bookshelves. The djinn then flew up, thumbing through the selections.

"Let's see, '_How to get your skeletons their whitest'_, no, '_How to manipulate people and obtain lackeys'_, no," She muttered such things as she pulled books out and pushed back in with disappointment. She finally sank back down to the floor when she found her search unfruitful.

"Hey, Don?" The little girl looked up from the page on hummus. "I'm gonna go look elsewhere. Odds are he's got a laboratory in this dump. Do you want to go look too?"

"Okay!" Dondi said. "Go on ahead! I'll catch up!"

As Eden headed towards the door, a small and quick _rip! _could be heard that was soon followed by pattering of feet. The djinn scooted a few steps away as the girl joined her. Dondi looked around as she walked with a considerable space between herself and Eden. After gazing at a long shelf of vases of varying sizes, she noticed there was an elaborately ornate sarcophagus at one corner; its golden sheen gleamed dully under a layer of grime.

"You know," Dondi started walking towards the sarcophagus, "he's got a lot of stuff here."

"He probably stole it," Eden replied, "seeing as he's making a big deal about paying off a library fine."

Dondi reached up to touch its metal chin when Xerxes slithered out of his hiding place and nipped the girl on her finger. The child let out an _ouch_ when Eden suddenly grabbed the eel-like familiar by the throat, slid the lid of the sarcophagus open and threw Xerxes in, slamming the lid shut.

"Obnoxious flying tube sock," Eden growled as she turned to Dondi who was sucking on her finger. Her expression softened. "You okay?"

Dondi nodded. She pulled her finger out of her mouth with a _pop!_ and placed her hand on her chin.

"I was thinking," she said finally. "Maybe we should help him."

Eden had a stunned look on her face. "Uh, Baby? Did you just say that we should help _him_?"

"Well, yeah-"

"I hope that just Stockholm syndrome talking, 'cause Mozenrath's a bad guy! People don't help guys like him! I don't help guys like him!"

"But it's because that he's bad that he needs help," Dondi explained, "and you've once said that in order to stop being bad you have to get rid of the bad influence." Dondi then spread out her arms. "And this place is just chock full of bad influence."

Eden looked around and a sly grin appeared on her face. "What do you have in mind?"

"Garage sale," Dondi said simply, "or something like that."

"That is a great idea!" Eden smiled broadly as she spun around and reached to hug Dondi, only to be met with a painful shock. She quickly shook it off. "Okay, we need to scour the whole Citadel for stuff, write up prices and display the merchandise in the Main Hall. I'll take care of advertising."

"And I can haggle with the customers!" Dondi added with delight.

"I know you can handle it, my little genius!" Eden squealed. "Come on!"

The pair began to take down the vases off the shelf next to the sarcophagus.

"When do you think he'll be back?" Dondi asked, struggling with two terracotta vases.

"Oh, him?" Eden shrugged. "Don't know. Just as long he's not here. Now, come on, Babes. We still got a lot to do."

_Sssssssssssssssssssssssssss0ssssssssssssssssssssssssssS_

"Number 47? Number 47?"

Huddled over the clipboard, Mozenrath was snoring. Judging by the intensity of his snores, it seemed like it was the longest amount of sleep he had recently. A string of drool was trailing down his chin. Suddenly, an ear-shattering blast from a gong unceremonious prompted him to sit up straight. As the teenage sorcerer looked around, shaken and perplexed, he found a sheet of parchment stuck to his forehead.

"Number 47!" the voice was shrill. Mozenrath growled agitatedly as he peeled the parchment off. "You're next!"

"Finally." The teenage sorcerer got to his feet and, with the parchment filled out and rolled up, walked through the door on the other side of the room. He came into a small room, a pair of cushions laid across from each on the floor with a low table between them. On the table was a pile of scrolls much like the one in his hand, a round brass inkpot with a matching square seal, and an assortment of quills, varying in length and points. Mozenrath looked up at the wall to his right. There was a hanging scroll bearing the image of a cat hanging on a clothesline, looking straight at him. It was so sickeningly adorable and the only thing that kept the young man from retching was the comforting thought that the feline was dangling over a pack of rabid manticores and would soon lose its grip and then plummet to a very certain death. He chuckled when he then heard humming coming from the curtains on his left. Out from behind the curtains came a very short, bearded man, dressed in a sky blue and had a very tall white turban perched on his head. Upon seeing him, Mozenrath formed a disgusted sneer on his face.

"You!" the teenage sorcerer pointed his finger at the man accusingly. The man looked up, unfazed.

"Yes, me," he replied when he suddenly chuckled genially. "Oh, yes, you're the one who buy the combination hookah/coffee-maker which also makes julienne fries. So how did it work out for you? Fries were tasty?"

"Oh, I wouldn't know how they tasted," Mozenrath growled. "The blasted thing broke the moment I got home!"

"Well, if you don't have the receipt," the man replied as he sat down in front of the desk, "I can't do anything for you. Of course, if you need employment, that is why I'm here. Entrepreneurship puts bread on the table, but career counseling is my passion."

Mozenrath frowned, but resigned his exasperation as he plopped down on the cushion across from the man. He crossed his legs Indian –style, but the length of his legs caused his knees to stick outside the cushion's width and appear very awkward.

"Now then," the man said as he unrolled Mozenrath's scroll, "let's see." He held it up and began reading it, occasionally making sounds of interest. The teenage sorcerer sighed impatiently and began tapping fingers on his left knee. "Your name is Motzenroth? Funny, you don't look Jewish."

Mozenrath opened his mouth to protest, but a flash of insightful thought made him answer, "Yes, that's me."

The man went back to reading the scroll, Mozenrath relieved that he wasn't going ask more questions. He couldn't really afford to get caught today.

"Ah!" the man announced as he got up and skittered into the back room. "I think I may have a job opening available for you!" When he reappeared, he had a small scroll in his hand. He approached Mozenrath and, giving it to him, sat back down in his seat. No sooner did Mozenrath unroll the scroll and read it, a disgusted look appeared on his face.

"Are you sure this is the only one available?" he asked, trying to hold back his irritation.

"Well," the man explained amiably, "they've just opened today and they are in need of qualified people like you and, well, it was…rather difficult to place you..." The man trailed off as the sorcerer looked at him, poisonously. "I'll tell you what. To make up for the broken hookah, I'll give you a sample of next year's products."

The man then dug into a bag next to his desk and pulled out a white, lacy band with a pair of cups. Mozenrath looked at the product, very perplexed, as the man handed it to him.

"At what point did I ever imply that I was woman?" the sorcerer asked, still in shock.

"Oh, nonononononononono," the man replied. "It has many uses." He placedanother one like iton his head. "It's a double yarmulke with straps! A double-barreled slingshot! An attractive vest that both lifts and separates!"

Mozenrath looked at the man as if his face was melting as he got up and backed away out of the office.

"Tell them I sent you!" the man called after him.

_Sssssssssssssssssssssssssss0ssssssssssssssssssssssssssS_

People turned and watched in curiosity as Aladdin was dragged along, gripping a leash attached to a sky blue German shepherd with its nose to the ground and sniffing. Carpet was flying over head, also searching. Abu clung to Aladdin's shoulder, also feeling the pull. The monkey suddenly reached his hands towards the boy's cheek, but the hand of his friend pushed him back. Abu chattered in protest as Aladdin shook his head, mouthing a "no". Knowing why, Abu climbed back to Aladdin's shoulder and crossed his arms, sulkily.

"Genie," Aladdin turned to the dog, "are we any closer to finding Pestor?"

Suddenly, the blue canine's ears perked and suddenly darted through the marketplace, Aladdin and Abu failing along like a kite.

"Genie!" Aladdin yelled. Abu screeched frightened.

"I got a hot trail, Al!" the dog replied, "and it's coming from that crowd!"

Aladdin looked up. "It looks like the Falafel Hut! Come on!"

The trio, sans Carpet who continued his search, approached the Falafel Hut establishment. Outside was Gammy al Camel, though this one was evading children more swiftly than the last one.

"Can you smell him?" Aladdin asked the blue dog.

"No, Al," Genie replied, morphing out of his disguise. "I lost the scent. I think it might be the gyros overpowering my doggy senses."

Suddenly, Gammy al Camel fell over with a thud.

"Hey!" Aladdin rushed over to the fallen mascot, Genie redirecting the children elsewhere with several colorful balls. Abu looked over Aladdin shoulder in curiosity as his friend pulled the camel's head off. Abu suddenly let out a screech, Aladdin jumping back as well. Mozenrath was panting heavily as large beads of sweat ran down his face.

"Okay, Al," Genie said as he hovered back, "the _kinderlach _are out of the way so we're free to rescue-whoa!" Genie jumped back as well at the sight of Mozenrath. "Maybe we should have just let him face the kids."

"Hold on, Genie," Aladdin said. "He's dehydrated. If he's left like this, he'll die."

Abu made a puzzled sound.

"Listen," Aladdin reassured him, petting his head, "when he comes to, we'll make sure he doesn't do anything." He then turned to Genie who then _poofed_ them to the back of the restaurant. Genie then transformed himself into a hose and a fire hydrant and let a stream of water hit the unconscious sorcerer in the face.

"That's enough!" Mozenrath, now awake, sputtered angrily. "That's enough." The now very drenched sorcerer stood up, his camel costume sagging to the ground, and looked around, alarmed and furious.

"Not you!" he seethed. "Oh, Angel of Death, I'm ready. Take me now, anybody but him!"

"Mozenrath," Aladdin asked, "What are you doing here and why are you dressed up like a camel?" The last part of his question had a tint of confusion in it.

"Perhaps it's another of your dastardly plots!" Genie exclaimed.

"Oh, yes," the sorcerer replied sarcastically, "I'm planning on taking over the Seven Deserts wearing a camel."

"Hey, Motzenroth," a gawky teenager, dressed in a yellow and orange uniform, approached them, "the manager wants you on grill duty."

Mozenrath groaned as he turned to his fellow employee. The younger of the two took a jump back as he saw the sorcerer's foul expression.

"I'm on my break," he seethed.

"Well, he's gonna get mad at you again," the teen said. "Mr. Iago doesn't seem to like you that much."

Aladdin glanced at Mozenrath, amused. Mozenrath returned it with a bitter scowl.

"Fine," Mozenrath pouted, returning his attention to the teenage employee, "I'll be there in a few minutes." The gawky teenager then dashed off.

"Let me guess," Genie spoke up, "you owe The Interdismensional Cosmic Library money because you didn't return a book on time and they took your powers as collateral and so you have to work for the parrot?"

"Is that all you pests ever do is watch me?" Mozenrath asked angrily. "I'M NOT A LAB RAT TO BE STUDIED!"

"Well, you're about as pale as one," Aladdin remarked, when suddenly Mozenrath threw his fist into the boy's cheek. The youth stumbled backward. As scrawny and dependent on magic as the sorcerer was, it was foolish to assume that he was, physically, a weakling. Of course, the sorcerer began to shake his hand, now throbbing in pain.

"And now my hand hurts," Mozenrath said. "I hope you're happy, street ra-" He didn't finish his sentence. He looked with curiosity at the blue spot where he hit Aladdin. Aladdin touched his cheek, the make-up leaving an imprint on his black gloves. He sighed, realizing the futility of hiding his condition, and wipe the make-up off with his sleeve. There he stood, face with the color of overripe juniper berries. Mozenrath gawked at him for a minute before erupting with jeering laughter.

_Sssssssssssssssssssssssssss0ssssssssssssssssssssssssssS_

The Citadel in the Land of Black Sand was situated in a hostile and a decidedly dreary landscape. Destane and Mozenrath saw this as a both godsend and a drawback. The overall aura of land, right down to its seemingly perpetual twilight, discouraged outsiders to settle in, so the two were free to plot, experiment, and live in peace, or as close to peace as a pair of misanthropic human beings could get. However, it was for this same reason that they felt disadvantaged, for those who want to pursue global totalitarianism. However, despite the reasons, now the throne room of the Citadel was swarming with people. Assorted people in lavish cloaks, robes, and tunics were browsing the selection of various objects, ranging from the deceptively simple and benign-looking quartz stones to the down-right menacing daggers. Dondi, standing out with her unimposing appearance, was conversing with a tall, dark-skinned man in yellow. Eden had been gone to distribute flyers for the sale.

"The dagger is forty dinari," Dondi explained.

"It's much too high for the Dagger of Agrippa," The man scoffed. "Twenty."

"No, it's about the right price," the girl countered. "It's the dagger that the sorcerer Agrippa used to fight-uh, I forgot his name, but it's a very famous dagger. It can slice through anything." It was fairly known in most wizarding circles that the Dagger of Agrippa had the ability to slice through anything and they meant anything, but less well known was that the only was to access that power was in the special technique in holding it. Unless the holder pressed down the two gemstones on the hilt while having his thumb on the wide side of the blade, the dagger would be duller than lecture night at Agrabah University. Dondi knew this as she haggled with the man in yellow. Eden, in their scouring for magical items to sell, briefed her in the way that they worked, but then asked her young master to lie about them. Odds were that the people that came to garage sale were just as nasty as the teenage ruler of the Land of the Black Sand.

"Thirty-five," the man in yellow continued.

"Forty and I will throw in one of those pretty rocks," Dondi answered.

"Done," the man agreed, reaching his hand out to shake. However, the girl held her back. The man raised his eyebrow.

"I don't like touching hands," she explained quickly, covering the manacles with her sleeves. "I'm kind of superstitious."

"Very well," the man replied, dropping a satchel of coins into her hand. "You keep on doing a fine job." He turned to leave, tucking the Dagger of Agrippa into his sash and picking up a sky blue stone. "Oh, by the way," he added, "how are you related to Mozenrath?"

"Oh," Dondi replied, "he's my dad."

The man in yellow stared at her baffled as she turned to help a lady in a violent pink outfit, holding a black kettle.

"I didn't know Mozenrath had a son," he wondered as he walked past a short and rotund man with a peppered beard. Pestor looked at the selection laid out in the throne room and grinned wickedly.

_Sssssssssssssssssssssssssss0ssssssssssssssssssssssssssS_

Mozenrath's face was now flushed pink. He was panting and grasping his chest, yet he managed to let out another string of sniggers. Genie and Aladdin both had disapproving expressions on their faces.

"Are you quite done, Chuckles?" Genie asked.

"This has made my day a WHOLE lot better!" Mozenrath laughed. "I may never beat you, street rat, but, oh,your humilationis gonna be imprinted in my memory forever!"

"Will you stop it, Mozenrath?" Aladdin demanded, angrily as he grabbed the sorcerer by the collar of his costume.

"Oh, don't go all _blue _in the face!" the sorcerer quipped.

"Stop it, you son of-" Aladdin growled, clearly not amused by Mozenrath's "pun".

"Al, there's no need to go _blue_," Mozenrath continued. "There are children-" Before he could finish, Abu leaped into his costume and began to scurry around. The sorcerer contorted and yelled, trying to get the monkey to stop. Finally, Abu climbed out and jumped back on to Aladdin's shoulder.

"When I get my powers back," Mozenrath seethed, his good humor now disappearing, "I'm going to feed you to Xerxes."

The monkey blew a raspberry as Mozenrath icily glared at him. Just then Carpet flew down, gripping what appears to be a yellow flyer.

"What do you got there?" Aladdin asked, taking the flyer. Genie, Carpet and Abu looked over the boy's shoulder, reading the flyer.

"'Good deals, great merchandise'," Aladdin read, Mozenrath rolling his eyes indifferently. "'Catch it all at the Citadel in the Land of the Black Sand'."

"What!" Mozenrath screamed. Aladdin looked at the sorcerer and smirked

"What, Mozenrath," Aladdin asked, mockingly, "did you forget a little something in your little laugh?" Mozenrath ignored him, instead fuming and clenching his fists angrily.

"A certain little girl is going to die," Mozenrath growled quietly. Aladdin, hearing this, grew alarmed and grabbed the sorcerer by the collar.

"Who are you talking about?" Aladdin demanded. Mozenrath merely sniffed.

"Al," Genie interrupted, "Rug-man said that he bumped into Eden and apparently Dondi's being held at the Citadel."

"Oh, and now the game's been given away," Mozenrath said. Aladdin glanced back at him. "The kid was collateral. I would have used her genie's magic to get the money to pay the fine, but then she had to go all 'concerned mother'."

Aladdin then pushed Mozenrath away and, along with Genie and Abu, climbed on Carpet.

"I'll deal with you later," Aladdin said to the sorcerer and the group flew out of the alley and into the sky.

"Fine!" Mozenrath yelled at them, walking out of the alley. "Go!" He then dug into his pocket and pulled out a transportation stone. "I'll just get there first," he whispered, nastily.

However, before Mozenrath could utter a word, a large burly man grabbed him by the collar, causing him to drop the stone.

"The manager says that your break is up," the burly man bellowed, pulling Mozenrath along, "and there are customers to be serviced!"

Mozenrath reached out for the stone longingly as it rested in the sand.

"No!" he wheezed as he was dragged back into the Falafel hut establishment, humid and swimming in the smell of lukewarm food.

_Sssssssssssssssssssssssssss0ssssssssssssssssssssssssssS_

A/N: Finally, I've finished this chapter after many, many delays. Thank you for all who have hung on to that sliver of hope that I would update.

So are they all in character? Which parts did you like? Which ones didn't you like? Leave a review if you have any questions or comments. I will read them.


End file.
